BJÖRKLUND, Jan, Inge (Strandengen 21, Bredballe Strand, Vejle ø, DK-7120, DK)
| CLAIMS
1. A slat retainer for mounting around one or more slats in a slatted curtain, characterised in that the slat retainer consists of at least two parts, where at least one of these parts is equipped with one or more magnetic elements.
2. Slat retainer according to claim 1, characterised in that one of the at least two parts includes one or more excitable elements.
3. Slat retainer according to claim 1, characterised in that the two parts include one or more magnetic elements.
4. Slat retainer according to any of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the total weight of the at least two parts is greater than 100 g and preferably greater than 500 g and less than 1000 g.
5. Slat retainer according to any of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the total weight of the at least two parts is greater than 1000 g.
6. Slat retainer according to any of claims 1 -5, characterised in that the at least two parts have a contact surface intended for abutting against the slatted curtain, where these contact surfaces are coated with a friction material. |
Retainer for a Slatted Curtain
Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a slat retainer for mounting around one or more slats in a slatted curtain, whereby the slats are e.g. prevented from fluttering in the wind when doors and windows are open.
Description of Prior Art
It is commonly known to use curtain retainers for curtains of the kind where a piece of curtain fabric is suspended from a traditional curtain rail and may cover a window or door entirely or partially. When the curtains are withdrawn, these are often arranged with a band which is passed around the curtain and fastened to the wall or to the frame of the window or door. Another prior art type of curtain retainer is a hook-shaped fitting made of plastic or metal in which the curtain is placed. This type is also permanently mounted in the wall or in the frame of the window or door. An example of this type of curtain retainer is known from US 2005/0286886 Al.
The prior art types of curtain retainers are suited for "usual curtains" of the kind described above and are preferably used for obtaining an elegant curtain arrangement and to achieve increased outlook through windows or access through doors.
In many modern homes and in many work places, so-called slatted curtains are used that in principle consist of many long, narrow strips called slats (or lamellae) that hang down from a curtain rail or rod in front of windows and doors. These slats may typically be drawn back and forth via a cord control, and the slats may be rotated approximately 180° about their longitudinal axis as well. The slatted curtain may thus appear more or less open. For easy understanding, a parallel may be drawn to Venetian blinds which in principle operate in the same way as slatted curtains - only so that the slats of the slatted curtains are vertical.
The slats may in principle have any width, but often appear with a width of about 90 mm. These slats - irrespectively of their width - are often made of a relatively light material, and in order that the slats are to hang nice and straight, a fold or turn-up is
made at the bottom end of the slat and in which there is disposed an object with sufficient weight for making the slats hang nicely. However, it is a drawback of these objects that they do not have sufficient weight to safeguard against the slats fluttering in the wind by an open door or window, something which is unwanted.
It is the purpose of the invention to indicate a solution to the above mentioned problem where fluttering slats may be avoided without interfering with the design of the slatted curtain and without constructional interference with building parts.
Description of the Invention
A slat retainer according to the invention for mounting around one or more slats in a slatted curtain consists of several parts, preferably two parts, where at least one of these parts is equipped with one or more magnetic elements. Thus it is possible to fix the parts of the slat retainer around one or more slats by means of magnetic forces that act through the fixed slats. A slat retainer according to the invention has the advantage that nothing has to be fitted in the wall or on the frame. The slat retainer may hold itself and the slats, and when not in use, it may be placed on a single slat or be stored in other places. By placing the slat retainer on a slat, it is ensured that it is always within reach when it is to be applied.
The slat retainer can be made of plastic in various colours and designs, but may be made of metal, wood or other suitable material having the desired properties. These properties will be described below. An example of a typical design of a slat retainer will be shown and described in connection with the drawing description and the drawing itself.
In one embodiment of a slat retainer according to the invention, one of the two parts includes one or more excitable elements. One or more permanent magnets may e.g. be fitted in the one part and one or more iron pieces in the other part. In a variant according to the invention, one or more magnetic elements may also be integrated in both of the two parts of which the slat retainer is made up. A magnet element and an iron element may thus alternately be built into one part, and corresponding elements
be built into the other part. Alternatively, there may be magnet elements in both parts where the magnet poles are arranged correspondingly.
In a preferred variant of the invention, the slat retainer is made so that the total weight of the at least two parts is greater than 100 g and preferably greater than 500 g and less than 1000 g. A variant where the total weight exceeds 1000 g may also be advantageous. The weight of the slat retainer as well as the magnetic forces of the magnet elements are adapted depending on the number of slats to be fixed. There may e.g. be variants adapted to ten slats, or alternatively 50 slats. Also, there may be slatted curtains where the thickness of the individual slats is different from normal. A slat retainer according to the invention may therefore advantageously be adapted in weight and magnetic forces that are suited for certain thicknesses of bundles of slats. E.g. there may be variants adapted to the ranges 3 - 10 mm, 10 - 20 mm, 20 - 30 mm etc., respectively.
A variant of a slat retainer according to the invention may be designed so that the at least two parts have a contact surface intended for abutting against the slatted curtain, where these contact surfaces are coated with a friction material. This friction material may be fabric, rubber or other material with increased friction against the slats. Thus is achieved the possibility of disposing the slat retainer exactly at the desired position on the slats. By long and large slatted curtains it may possibly be advantageous to mount several slat retainers. For example, one at the floor, one at head level and one in between. By this mounting, long slats at doors and similar are prevented from fluttering in the wind when the door stands open. The friction material may furthermore have the function that possible set-off on the slats from magnet elements or excitable elements is prevented.
In a preferred variant of the invention, the mentioned friction material may appear as a protective layer between slat curtain and the magnetic and/or excitable elements embedded in the slat retainer. Yet a variant can be made with magnetic and/or excitable elements provided inside the item, e.g. by moulding or by joining several elements around the elements. In such cases, the friction material may be constituted
by the slat retainer itself which can be made with a surface providing friction by itself, e.g. with grooves or similar.
Short Description of the Drawing The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where: FIG. 1 shows a slat retainer mounted around a slat bundle on a curtain; FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a slat retainer in cross-section.
Detailed Description of the Invention In Fig. 1 appears a bundle of slats 1 of a slatted curtain 2 which are held together by a slat retainer 3 according to the invention. In the embodiment shown here, the slat retainer 3 consists of two elements 4 and 5. The elements 4 and 5 are here made so that between them exists a gap 6 of a few millimetres in which the slats 1 are fixed. The shown slat retainer 3 is thus intended for a bundle of slats 1 that in gathered condition have a thickness exceeding the size of the gap. The advantage of the gap is that the slats 1 are readily kept in a nice bundle where all slats 1 hang nicely over each other. The slat retainer 3 may of course be made so that it fits to various numbers/thicknesses of slats 1. The most simple variant of a slat retainer 3 is where each of the elements 4 and 5 is uniform and with a flat contact face against the slats 1. This variant can be used for one single slat 1 as well as for many slats 1, only limited by the size of the magnetic forces.
Fig. 2 shows in principle a slat retainer 3 which is sectioned and where both elements 4 and 5 are made uniform and so that there is a gap 6 between the elements 4 and 5. Magnetic elements 8 are disposed at the contact faces 7 as well as at the ends 9. The magnetic elements 8 may all be permanent magnets with corresponding poles, but may also be magnets and iron elements, respectively.
By a slat retainer 3 as described herein it is possible to prevent slatted curtains 2 from fluttering. It is obvious that innumerable variants and shapes of a slat retainer according to the invention can be made. These obvious variants are of course not described in this disclosure, but are regarded as contained in the object of the invention and thus included in the present description.